In the summer of 2026, the number of international destinations with direct flights from Russia will drop to approximately 31-32 countries, announces the Association of Russian Air Operators. According to the organization’s analytical service, there will be three times fewer flights than during the Soviet Union period, reports IPN.
According to the cited source, the number of direct flights has decreased by 25% compared to last winter, when Russian citizens could fly non-stop to 43 countries. In addition to international sanctions, experts cite seasonality, rising fuel costs, and the crisis in the Middle East as reasons for this decline.
The comparison with the Soviet era, when the USSR had direct flights to approximately 80-100 countries, highlights an unprecedented isolation of Russian aviation. Currently, although officially 31-32 destinations are announced, only 15 countries remain accessible for mass tourism. The difference is caused by the prohibition of selling vacation packages in certain areas of the Middle East and the low attractiveness of some states such as Afghanistan or North Korea.
